Wire drawing machine



16,1941. n O BRUESTLE 2,266,407

WIRE DRAWING MACHINE l Filed Sept. 21, 1959 I i, 40 4/ 29 72 i 1 5y CARL o. .Bez/55715 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 16, 1941 UNITED STATES 'P'.IiTlazNTfy OFFICE wml: DRAWING MACHINE;

Carl A0.v Bruestle, Rahway, N. J., signor-itc Elevator Supplies Company, Incorporated,A Rahway, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey f Application September 21, 1939, Serial No. 295,884

8 Claims.

dies are used which extend through casing walls Y or partitions which usually also carry the bearings for the spindles. The ends of the spindles which project through the wall have drums or pulleys thereon, which, through frictional contact with loops of wire thereon, draw the wire through the drawing dies. The friction of the wire passing through the dies, and also the conventlonal slip of the wire on the drums, generates a very considerable amount of heat, and there is also some metal dust created by the drawing operation. To cool the dies and the drums, jets or sprays of a suitable liquid are constantly played on these parts during the operation of the machine. These liquids are solutions of various composition best suited to the work being performed, and usually 'contain water, tallow and soap. The function of these liquids is to cool and lubricate the dies. The nature of these solutions is different from that of the oil which is used for lubricating the bearings and dies. YConsequently pollution of the oil by a iiushlng solution, and

ing of a wire drawing machina-having ya drum on the end which projects into the' wire drawing compartment of the machine. i

Fig. .2 is an enlarged detail view illustrating in longitudinal section a part yofs-ith'e sealing means shown in Fig. '1.

Fig. 3 is a detail viewin transverse section, illustrating on a stillv larger scale, a part of the structureshown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. .1, illustrating a second embodiment of the invention.

- Referring to said drawing, numeral I0 designates a wall or partition having .an opening I2 therein. Numeral 'Il` designatesa spindle projecting through said opening and having its driven end I6 on one side ofthe partition Ill, the oil side, and'its workingend Il, onthe opposite side of saidpartition, the solution side.

vice versa is inimical to the proper functioning of both the oil and the flushing solution. The

oil and the flushing solution have a capacity to creep along the shaft, and also the heat generated by the machine vaporizes some of the oil andthe flushing solution. There has been considerable difllculty in sealing the opening through which the shaft or spindle passes, and maintaining a proper and satisfactory separation of the oil and flushing solutions. y

The present invention provides a means for sealing-the opening through which a shaft or spindle passes, against interchange of liquid and vapor in a highly effective way. It provides a highly efilcient sealing means, there being little, if any, friction between the parts of the seal, and thereby providing a virtually frictionless seal.

The means are also of simple construction, and

are readily assembled and disassembled, thus facilitating installation and repairs to the machine when it is necessary to remove the seal.

Two embodiments of the invention are illusl trated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a transverse vertical section showing a spindle passing through a partition in the cas- As herev shown, the working end .I1-of the spindle has a drum or pulley 2Ilfixed thereon which functions to draw wire through dies (not shown). A bearing22 for the spindle I 4 (here shown as a ball bearing) may be supported in-the opening I2 in wall I0 through which the spindle Il extends.

. On the oily side of the partition'l, the spindle and the driving parts thereon are vlubricated with' oil, usually with ,iets .of oil whichfbathe the driving parts. On the opposite, or solution side of the partition I0, the drum 20 (and also the dies and other parts contained in the same' compartment with the drum) is flushed by jets or sprays of cooling and'lubrlcating solution. The oil and` the solution are projected with considerable force toward the opening" I2, and they also have con-l siderable capacity to creep lengthwise of the spindle. The heat generated from the working of the machine producesvapors of: the oil 'and of .the

solution in the respective compartments, andthe vapors are capable ofvpassing from one side to` the other of the partition, through anyismall opening which may exist therein. As heretofore stated, oil from the oil side would pollute the solution on the solution side, and vice versa. Condensation of vapors from one side on the opposite side would pollute in the same way that the liquid would pollute.

Improved means are providedior preventing the passage of cooling andlubricating solution, and vapors thereof, vfrom the solution side of the partition I 0 to the opposite or oilA sidethereof,

and vice versa. This means vcomprises circum- I ferential grooves. and ribs or'projections ttng within the ribs, thegrooves and ribsvbeing provided on opposite adjacent parts of the wall I0 and the shaft Il, so that there is relative movement between the grooves and the ribs. 'Ihe grooves are of a size to provide a slight clearance between them and the sides of the ribs. In the embodiment shown the grooves may be formed in a part 25 mounted on the spindle Il and rotating therewith and having one or more circumferential grooves therein. As here shown, there may be two sets of grooves 21 and 29. Projecting into the groove or sets of grooves are sets of stationary ribs 3|, 33. These ribs 3|, 33 may be split rings which press tightly against and make close contact with a part 35 of the partition wall 8 overhanging and surrounding the grooved part 25. The part 35 as here shown, may be a separately formed annulus fastened to the partition walls in a suitable manner, as by screws 31, as shown. The split rings 3|, 33 bear with an elastic pressure against the inner face of the annulus and make a tight and close nt therewith.

A clearance on the order of a thousandth of an inch more or less, is provided between the rib or ring 3|, 33 and the sides I0, Il and the bottom 42 of a groove 21, 29. The-dimensions of the grooves and of the projections or rings are such as to provide capillaries between the sides of the rib or. ring and the sides of the groove. The clearance between the stationary rings 3| and the grooves in the rotating part 25 allows the shaft to run free; thereby avoiding friction and effecting a considerable increase in the efficiency of the machine. The film strength of liquids is utilized in conjunction with the capillaries in providing a seal between the rings and the rotating part 25. Initially a film, as lubricating oil is placed in the grooves. It exists as a thin lm in the space between the sides of the grooves and the ribs, and the strength of a liquid in the form of a thin iilm holds it within the grooves. Even though solution from the solution side may creep into y grooves adjacent to the solution side, it also will have nlm strength and will be held tenaciously within the clearance or space between the sides of the grooves and the rings. The solution in the capillary will adequately act as a lubricant to reduce friction in case of any slight end-play of the spindle or shaft which may bring the rings into slight contact against the sides of the grooves.

spindles or shafts running at very high speeds, 2500 revolutions per minute, will be so eiilcient in throwing liquid therefrom by centrifugal action, that there will be little if any load or accumulation of liquid at the sides of the grooves, from either the oil side or from the solution side, and it has been found in practice that capillary action in the grooves 21, 29 satisfactorily stops the iiow of liquid (and also vapors) from one side of the wall or partition l to the other, in machines in which the spindle turns at high speeds.

With machines having spindles or shafts turning at lower speeds it has been found advantageous to provide slingers at one or both sides of the grooves 21, 23 to prevent a iiooding of the spindle adjacent the grooves 21, 29. As shown in Fig. l a disk 50 may be provided on the spindle adiacent the grooved part 25, and fixed to the spindle or shaft so as to rotate therewith. The periphery of the disk may be rounded or pointed as indicated at 52 to facilitate the throwing therefrom of liquid under the action of centrifugal force. The disk 50 is also preferably provided with a flange l which overhangs a portion of the annulus 35 fixed to the wall I3, and thereby shields the part 25 having the grooves 21, 23 therein from access of liquid projectedtoward .the wall I0.

the shaft or spindle in the form of iets or spray.

The disk 50 may also be provided on its side which faces the wall, with a lipped projection 55, and the annulus 35 may be provided with an annular groove 58 within which the looped projection 58 runs. 'I'he looped projection 58 acts to sling into the groove 58, liquid which may have entered or crept between the flange 5l and the adjacent edge of the annulus 35. Liquid slung into the groove 53 flows to the underside and then on to the underside of projection 52 on disk 58, from whence it will drain on through slot 50a. In machines having spindles which travel at comparatively low speeds, some liquid creeps beyond the slingers, and when it accumulates at the sides of the grooves 21, 29, will penetrate beyond these grooves, and the capillaries provided therein in conjunction with the rings 3l and 33. To take care of the slight amount of liquid which may creep beyond-the grooves, the part 25 may be provided with a pointed rib 53 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. 'I'he rib 53, by reason of its rotation with the spindle I4, will sling liquid against the inner face of the annulus 35. The liquid slung against the inner face of the annulus 35 will run down to its lower portion, and at the lower part of the annulus 35 an opening 8| is provided, through which liquid may escape. The

opening 8| has a waste pipe 53 connected therewith which leads the liquid away from the machine, as this liquid may consist in part of oil from one side and solution from the other side and should not be returned'to either side of the machine.

Referring to Fig. 4, a slinger 13 quite similar to the slinger 58 illustrated in Fig. l, is provided adjacent the grooves 21 on the solution side of the wall |3. The slinger 13 may have the yform of a disk having a peripheral flange 12 which overhangs the annulus 35 and acts as heretofore explained, to prevent the direct access of liquid projected toward the spindle. A slinger may also be provided adjacent the grooves on the oil-side I0. This slinger may have the form of a disk 15 running in or adjacent a groove 11 in the stationary part surrounding the slinger. A hole 13 may be provided at the lower part of the groove 11 to return oil to the oil side of the wall.

To prevent seepage of liquid and vapors which may creep past the grooves 21, 23, asan alternative to the projecting rib 53 (slinger) of Fig. l, I may provide a groove 3I'in the part 25, between the sets of grooves 21, 23 therein. This groove is connected with a valved tting 33 through which grease may be forced into the groove 3| and a ring or packing of grease formed between the rotary part 25 and the stationary annulus 35. The ring of grease in the groove 3l will stop passage of cooling solution and oil, and vapors thereof, from one side to the other of At the same time it provides a virtually frictionless packing between the rotating part 25 and the fixed part 35.

'ilhe invention may receive other embodiments than those herein specifically illustrated and described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine comprising two compartments inv each of which a liquid is used which' pollutes the liquid in the other compartment when the liquids are mixed, a separating wall or partition having an opening therein, and a shaft or spindle projecting through said opening, said shaft having a working part on one side of said particapillaries between the sides of the grooves and the ribs, and means intermediate said sets of circular grooves and ribs for intercepting passage of liquid or vapor escaping from said sets of grooves and ribs, in either direction toward said intercepting means.

2. In a machine comprising two compartments in each of which a liquid is used which pollutes the liquid in the other compartment when the liquids are mixed, a separating wall or partition having an openingther'ein, and a shaft or spindle projecting through said opening, said shaft having a working part onpne side of said partition and its driven end and bearing on the opposite side of said partition,v a frictionless liquid and vapor seal between said partition and said spindie, for preventing an interchangeof liquid and vapor from one side of. said wall to the other,

4 A machine according to claim 1, further comprising a plate fastened to said shaft, at one side of said partition, adjacent a set of capillaries, acting to sling liquid falling or creeping thereon to remove it from the vicinityoi the capillaries.

5. A machine according to claim l, further comprising a plate fastened to said shaft, at one side of said partition, adjacent a set of capillaries, acting to sling liquid falling or creeping thereon to remove it from the vicinity of the capillaries, said plate further having a circular flange overhanging a part of said partition and arranged to hinder access to the space adjacent a set of capillaries, of jets or spray projected toward the shaft.

6. A means according to claim 2, further comprising a plate fastened -to said shaft, at one side of said partition, adjacent a set of capillaries, said plate having a circular flange overhanging a part of said wall arranged to prevent daccess to the space adjacent the capillaries of jets or spray projected toward the shaft, and said plate furtheracting to sling liquid falling or screening thereon to remove it from the vicinity of the capillaries, and said plate having a circular lipped projection on its side facing said wall and said wall having a circular groove in which said lipped projection runs, said lipped comprising sets of circular grooves in one of saidy projection acting as a slinger.

parts and circular ribs on the other of said parts, one set being on the solution side of said partition and the other on the oil side of said partition, said ribs projecting into said grooves with 7. A machine according, to claim 1, wherein said intercepting means comprises a groove between said sets of capillaries and means for admitting and holding grease in said groove to proa small clearance S0 as t0 Provide capillaries 35 vide a ring or packing of grease between the between the sides of the grooves and the ribs, and a circular projection on said shaft between said sets of grooves arranged to act as a centrifugal slinger to throw oi'f liquid creeping Past rotary shaft and the wall intermediate said sets of capillaries.

8. A machine according to claim 1, further comprising plates fastened to said shaft on each Sli-id capillaries. and Waste duct penin into, 40 side of said partition. adjacent the outer end of the space between said sets of capillaries for carrying off to waste liquid slung from said slinger so as not to pollute the liquids on either side' of said wall.

3. A machine according to claim 2, wherein said circular ribs have the form of split elastic rings.

each set of capillaries, acting to sling liquid falling or creeping thereon to remove it from the vicinity of the capillaries facing each compartment.

CARL 0. BRUESTLE. 

